Cars24 CEO wants engineers who can't speak Kannada after years in Bengaluru to return to Delhi, join his company
Karnataka, where the state's official language is Kannada, has been at the forefront of protests against what many claim is Hindi imposition by non-Kannadigas who come to work in cities like Bengaluru.
Language is a highly sensitive matter, especially in states that were formed on a linguistic basis. In recent years, Karnataka has ignited more language debates than any other Indian state.
Language debate in Karnataka
Karnataka, where the state's official language is Kannada, has been at the forefront of protests against what many claim is Hindi imposition by non-Kannadigas who come to work in cities like Bengaluru.
CREDIT: BCCL
For a very long time, pro-Kannada groups and politicians in Karnataka have alleged that outsiders coming to the state, especially from North India, do not make an effort to learn the local language, but want locals to speak to them in Hindi.
Cars24 CEO sparks controversy
Such incidents have resulted in several ugly confrontations between the two sides. As the debate over Kannada and Hindi continues, Vikram Chopra, the CEO of Delhi-based Cars24, has sparked controversy by asking people to come back to Delhi if they can't speak Kannada.
CREDIT: INSTAGRAM/ VIKRAM CHOPRA
In a social media post inviting applications for engineering roles in Cars24, Chopra said, "Still can¡¯t speak Kannada after years in Bengaluru? It¡¯s okay. Aa jao Dilli (come to Delhi)."
According to Chopra, his company is looking to hire ¡°kickass engineers who wish to stay close to home.¡±
"We are not saying Delhi NCR is better. Only that it really is," Chopra claimed.
We are not saying Delhi NCR is better. Only that it really is.
¡ª Vikram Chopra (@vikramchopra) December 19, 2024
If you wish to come back, write to me at vikram@cars24.com with the subject - Delhi meri jaan ?? pic.twitter.com/lgQpXMiaKt
How social media reacted
The post soon went viral, and many disagreed with Chopra.
An X user asked: "'We are looking for people who wish to stay close to home.' This is probably not the message you'd wanna post in a hiring call. So basically you want North Indians/Delhiites in your team? Rest of the folks?"
"Prove 1 aspect in which Delhi NCR is better than Bengaluru and I will work for you for free for 1 year," said another user.
Many also pointed out the toxic air quality levels in Delhi, making it a less ideal place to live.
Some also argued that Chopra waded into the language debate to make his post go viral.
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Bobins Abraham is the Assistant News Editor at Indiatimes. He has more than twelve years of experience in TV and digital journalism. An avid student of history and geopolitics, he is a conservationist and environmentalist at heart. He writes on environment, sustainability, human-animal conflict and more.
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